Rutte Wants Jobless Southern Europeans

THE HAGUE, 05/07/13 - Despite the rapidly rising unemployment in its own country, the Dutch cabinet wants to bring young European jobless people with specific qualities to the Netherlands, Premier Mark Rutte said following an EU summit on youth unemployment in Berlin.

In the energy sector in Noord-Groningen or the technology sector in Eindhoven, for example, Rutte says there is a need for “high-value labour” from countries like Italy, with a number of years of work experience. The scale on which he sees young people coming to the Netherlands will be a good deal smaller than what Germany does.

The premier stressed that the cabinet is simultaneously working hard to get Dutch youngsters trained for technical occupations and for jobs in the energy sector. However, until these youngsters are ready for the labour market, well-educated young people from abroad could bridge the gap excellently, he said.